Aviation

Making money out of thin air may have been laughed at, not any more. Inflight broadband has the potential to unlock a $5.2 billion market within the Middle East region by 2035, according to a study titled “Sky High Economics: Quantifying the commercial opportunities of passenger connectivity for the global airline industry” by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in association with Inmarsat, the world’s leading provider of global mobile satellite communications. The study forecasts that airlines in the region will take a $1.3 billion share of the boost in ancillary revenues.

The research argues that as passenger numbers grow globally, so too will passenger expectations for access to high-quality inflight connectivity. The data shows that when it comes to passenger value brought about by new, Wi-Fi enabled ancillary revenue streams, airlines will benefit from an extra $3.21 per passenger. At present, airlines around the world average an additional $17 per passenger from ‘traditional’ ancillary services like duty free purchases and inflight retail, food and drink sales.

Ben Griffin, vice president, Middle East, Africa and South Asia at Inmarsat Aviation, added, “The latest advancements in satellite technology have unlocked exciting new opportunities for airlines to enhance their passenger experience, increase their operational efficiencies and grow important new revenue streams. Having the right capabilities in place – from the cabin to the cockpit – is the key to benefitting from everything that a connected aircraft can offer, today and in the future. As the Sky High Economics report has identified, airlines in the Middle East are extremely well positioned to take a lead with the game-changing new trend.”

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TTN Worldwide

TTN is the most established trade publication in the Middle East distributed on a controlled circulation basis to members of the travel and tourism industry.

Published monthly by Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group, the region’s foremost trade publisher, TTN is aimed at professionals in the industry, from travel agents to airline and hotel personnel.

TTN provides in-depth and extensive coverage of relevant issues in the Middle East and North Africa as well as in other parts of the world. Travel related news, analysis, and new appointments together with information on up-coming exhibitions, marketing and promotional campaigns are presented in an innovative and striking colour tabloid.

Every issue also contains a collation of international and regional news and topical features of interest to readers.